A Hamburger Today

A Sandwich a Day: Italian Sandwich at D'Agostino's

Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, Dec 21, 2012

[Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger]

The Italian grinder at D'Agostino's in River West does its best to avoid anything resembling subtlety. All the salty and heavy meats (capicola, pepperoni, salami, and ham) fight for dominance on your palate, while a blanket of melted provolone covers as much as possible. This is the kind of sandwich that feels more like an assault than a meal (plus it keeps up the fight with your stomach long into the night). But isn't that kind of the point of a grinder?

Plus, this one has far more going for it than the usual gut bomb. I thank the vegetables, which are spared the trip in the oven. Added afterwards, they remain crunchy and fresh, acting as a welcome relief. Hey, even a sandwich known for utter excess needs something reasonable to ground it. Sure, this Chicago-area chain is best known for pizza, but I can see how this could hit some extra-salty sweet spot you may have. That's a thing, right?